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Demovictory9

(32,324 posts)
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 09:20 PM Dec 2019

Family pulls 9 year old out of university because he can't complete the degree at age 9

Now, a dispute between TUE and the Simons family has seen Laurent terminate his studies without graduating.
TUE said it had recommended Laurent finish his studies by mid-2020, rather than at the end of December, because of the number of exams he still has to pass.

"This would still be, in every way, a phenomenally fast schedule," the university said in a statement sent to CNN.

TUE said Laurent's father, Alexander Simons, had "repeated his explicit wish that his son should obtain his bachelor degree at the age of 9, which means that Laurent must successfully complete his bachelor within ten months for a study that normally lasts three years."
However, Alexander told CNN that there had previously been no issue with the accelerated timetable.

Ultimately, he said, the family decided Laurent would leave TUE as he had received an offer to study for a doctorate at a university in the United States, and wouldn't be able to split his time between the two institutions.

"Sometimes you have to make choices," Alexander told CNN in reference to the decision.
"If he lets it go, you never know if he will get that opportunity again."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/10/europe/laurent-simons-university-scli-intl/index.html

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dewsgirl

(14,961 posts)
1. Not at all the same scenario, my 22yr old was 8 yrs.old
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 09:28 PM
Dec 2019

and in fifth grade, he skipped 1st and 2nd grade. He was struggling socially and we wanted to hold him back, the school would not allow it. He eventually leveled out, but at the time I was infuriated.
This seems so extreme, it is mind boggling.

dewsgirl

(14,961 posts)
6. My dad skipped a grade and when they wanted me to, he refused.
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 09:49 PM
Dec 2019

He was worried about his grandson struggling socially, but he was so advanced intellectualy, it would have been crazy not to. I'm so relieved it worked out.

captain queeg

(10,036 posts)
2. Poor kid.
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 09:33 PM
Dec 2019

His parents really ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Has anyone ever had personal experience with a child prodigy? I don’t really know, but it’s not like these kids set the world on fire in later life.

Piasladic

(1,160 posts)
5. Lonely and a bit angry
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 09:45 PM
Dec 2019

In my case, it was like my parents couldn't wait to get me out.

Therefore, when I was 14 and in college, I struggled to make it on my own. When all my friends when "home" for break, I slept on couches if I was lucky. It sucked.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
7. Yes, it's usually burnout and drop out
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 09:54 PM
Dec 2019

Many reach a certain pinacle, exhaust their goals then drop out of society. William Sidis comes to mind. He was probably the most intelligent person who ever lived.

abqtommy

(14,118 posts)
8. Dayum! Let the kid be a kid. Didn't his paernts ever see the movie Little Man Tate? I guess not.
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 10:30 PM
Dec 2019

When I saw that it had a big effect on me but then from my experience it's hard enough growing up
to be "normal" even without unreasonable expectations at a young age.

hunter

(38,264 posts)
9. I would have joyfully skipped middle and high school.
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 11:04 PM
Dec 2019

Curiously, among my siblings, it's me and my sister, both of us high school dropouts, who have the university degrees.

We haven't set the world on fire, but maybe we've kept it from burning down a few times.

My wife and children are prodigies to some degree but they were able to steer clear of horrors my sister and I experienced. They graduated from high school with honors, were accepted with scholarships to great universities, and are very successful adults.

I don't feel I have anything in common with people who have fond memories of high school. In high school I was doing my best to be invisible, and whenever I failed someone would beat me bloody and the so-called adults in charge would blame me for that.

Sgent

(5,857 posts)
14. The only one I know
Wed Dec 11, 2019, 12:25 AM
Dec 2019

finished an undergrad at 16 at a top 25 university, enlisted in the Army at 17, did ok, and now has a job that she enjoys but doesn't require a bachelors or even associates degree at 30.

madaboutharry

(40,153 posts)
4. The father seems like he makes a lot of his son's
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 09:42 PM
Dec 2019

achievements about himself. Poor kid. The parents are really in need of some serious guidance.

Ms. Toad

(33,915 posts)
10. This says it all: the father "repeated {the father's} his explicit wish that
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 11:09 PM
Dec 2019

his son should obtain his bachelor degree at the age of 9.

bullwinkle428

(20,627 posts)
11. I hope this kid wins Powerball one day, so he can pay for all of the therapy he'll have to
Tue Dec 10, 2019, 11:26 PM
Dec 2019

go through as the result of being raised by a fucked-up father like this.

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